Sloppy Joe Casserole is a quick family friendly dinner. Baked sesame seed bun topping with a cheesy ground beef Sloppy Joes filling!
This is a fun twist on a classic Dinner Recipe. So are our easy Garlic Butter Four Cheese Grilled Cheese, fun and flavorful Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Mac and Cheese, and the incredible Chili Cheese Dog Casserole.
If you are looking for an easy way to serve a crowd, you can’t beat a tasty casserole. From Cheeseburger Casserole to Tater Tot Casserole, putting family favorites in a baking pan and smothering it in cheese and carbs is the ultimate party food. This party size Sloppy Joe Casserole is a great way to get all the taste without needing a stack of napkins.
Sloppy Joe Casserole is so easy to make, the prep time is only about 15 minutes including chopping veggies and browning the beef. From start to finish, this quick dinner recipe is ready to eat in less than an hour. You can prep it ahead of time and freeze it for a fast weeknight dinner ready to bake whenever you don’t feel like cooking.
The French bread dough is what gives this Sloppy Joe Casserole that same hamburger bun taste and texture you get with Sloppy Joes Sandwiches. Instead of making the French Bread Dough from scratch, this recipe uses the canned kind. Canned dough saves time without sacrificing flavor, plus it’s easier to use since it’s already in a sheet. Save the homemade dough for dinner parties and just stick with canned stuff.
This Sloppy Joes Casserole is a filling dinner that kids of all ages will love! The mild tomato sauce is still packed with flavor while staying kid-friendly. Serve Sloppy Joe Casserole with easy veggie sides like Sautéed Green Beans or Roasted Broccoli. For an extra delicious casserole, mix a cup of Sautéed Mushrooms into your beef filling!
How to Make Sloppy Joe Casserole
Making this dish is so easy! It’s a simple casserole dish that is cooked in steps, then thrown together and baked for an unforgettable meal the whole family will love.
- Step One: Cook up the ground beef. Drain excess grease. Add in the onions and peppers and give it a good stir. Add in the rest and let it cook for a few minutes.
- Step Two: Layer all the ingredients in the 9×13 baking dish.
- Step Three: Finally, brush the egg wash on top of the bread before baking.
- Step Four: Bake until ready and serve! Enjoy!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Prepare Sloppy Joes filling per the recipe instructions and add to the baking dish. Top with cheese slices and wrap baking dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months, or refrigerate up to 3 days. When ready to bake, remove plastic wrap and add french bread dough with sesame seed topping. Bake from frozen 45-55 minutes, or thawed 40-50 minutes.
When making Sloppy Joes, avoid over-cooking the sauce as this can make them dry. The ideal consistency for the meat should be such that individual pieces can be visible, but still hold together in a sauce.
Yes, that would be fine. But we love the flavors of fresh Sloppy Joes! Comparing a store-bought Sloppy Joe sauce to a homemade version reveals that many of the ingredients are similar.
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Key Ingredients in Sloppy Joe Casserole
All these ingredients are classic and easily found at your closest grocery store if you don’t already have them in your cupboard.
- Sloppy Joe Mix: The classic Sloppy Joe recipe is made with ground beef, onions, and bell peppers. Tomato based sauce, like ketchup, and mustard are added to it, while the brown sugar and garlic add a slight sweetness and depth to the mix.
- Topping: French bread and cheese are added in layers and make it super yummy!
Variations on Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Meat: You can use any ground meat instead of ground beef, like ground turkey or ground chicken. If you are using leaner meat, brown the meat in 2 tablespoons olive oil so it isn’t too fatty.
- Topping: You can use canned biscuit dough, puff pastry, crescent dough sheets, or homemade Cornbread Batter instead of the French bread dough. Bake until golden brown and pastry cooked through.
- Tater Tots: Another topping you can use instead of French bread dough is frozen tater tots. Prepare Sloppy Joes filling like normal, then top with a 32 ounce bag of frozen tater tots. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes for a Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole.
- Sloppy Sauce: Instead of ketchup, use BBQ Sauce, or add other favorite Sloppy Joes seasonings like Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, or chili sauce.
- Cheese: Swap out American cheese with any sliced or shredded cheese like cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, provolone slices, or pepper jack cheese. If you use slices of cheese, make sure they are thin slices.
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How to Store Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Serve: Sloppy Joe Casserole is best served warm and fresh from the oven. Keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours and cool before storing.
- Store: Once cool, wrap pan tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container before refrigerating Sloppy Joe Casserole for up to 4 days. Reheat casserole in the oven, covered in foil so the bread doesn’t burn, on low heat until hot.
- Freeze: Cool Sloppy Joe Casserole completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze casserole for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove plastic wrap and recover with foil and heat in oven for 30-45 minutes, until hot.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef , 85/15
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion , chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper , chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon course ground black pepper
- 12 slices cheese
- 1 can French bread dough (Pillsbury or store brand)
- 1 large egg , beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet on medium-high heat and brown until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
- Drain the fat, lower heat to medium and add the butter, onions and bell pepper to the pan.
- Cook vegetables with the beef until onions and green bell peppers are translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, mustard, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, salt, black pepper to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the ground beef mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Top with sliced cheese evenly over the beef mixture.
- Unroll the French bread dough over the cheese slices
- Mix the egg well with water then brush the top of the dough with the egg mixture and top with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition
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